More than half the population of Africa cannot access the internet, but this is changing thanks to mobile networks and ambitious new engineering projects. In fact, Africa recorded the highest growth in internet use globally between 2005 and 2018, proving that it’s possible to close the digital divide. “The working-age population in Africa is expected … Read more
Demands from President Donald Trump that TikTok must be quickly sold to a US company or face a nationwide ban sparked frantic talks between TikTok parent company ByteDance and US companies, including Microsoft, Twitter, Walmart and Oracle. These talks have been disrupted by complications, including Trump’s insistence that the US government should receive a financial “cut” of … Read more
A security organization in the U.K. says a group of Russian hackers is targeting research centers involved in COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccine development. The adversary group is using spear-phishing to target the research centers, a practice that uses deception to get victims to click on links with hidden malware. These attacks come at a time when U.S.- and U.K.-based … Read more
When someone is watching over your shoulder, it’s second nature to cover up your keyboard before typing in a password on your computer, or even unlocking your phone if you still use a pin passcode. But there’s another place where you should be cautious: the front door. Hackers could be recording the sounds that your keys make … Read more
A Tesla employee was offered a $1 million bribe in early August to install ransomware on the car company’s networks in Nevada, a scheme that could have netted a cybercrime gang many more millions in extortion, according to a newly unsealed US Justice Department indictment (pdf). Egor Igorevich Kriuchkov, a 27-year-old Russian, came to the United States … Read more
Google has announced that it aims to power all its data centres and offices with carbon-free energy by 2030, matching pledges by rival Apple earlier in the year. In a blog post, CEO Sundar Pichai wrote that the firm has always valued sustainability and said the world “must act now” to avoid the worst consequences of … Read more
Clever use of data to enhance the customer experience or invasion of privacy? It’s a fine line at the Magic Kingdom, but smiles usually win the day. Imagine living in a place where your every move is surveilled. A place created in the image of one almost mythological figure, where every step you take is … Read more
The reserves of some rare earth minerals used in electronics, medical equipment and renewable energy could run out in less than 100 years. Rare earth minerals are naturally occurring resources, which cannot be recreated or replaced. Some are present in only very small quantities in the Earth’s crust. They were created when the extreme heat … Read more
Scientists have developed an antibody test for the virus that causes Covid-19 that they say is more accurate and can handle a larger number of donor samples at lower overall cost than standard antibody tests currently in use. In the short term, the test, developed by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin in collaboration … Read more
This is a thoughtfully designed, informative, and inspiring tarot deck celebrating the history of science and its forgotten women. What is your reaction when you hear the phrase “women of science tarot”? If you’re rolling your eyes already, you’re probably not going to be won over. This is just one of those things where your … Read more